In Japanese, we often want to react with surprise, emotion, or discovery—just like saying “I can’t believe…!” or “Who would’ve thought…!”.
Two very natural grammar patterns for this are 〜なんて and 〜とは.

Both express strong feelings, but they are used in slightly different ways.
Let’s look at the meanings, nuances, and lots of examples your students can use right away.

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1. 〜なんて：Expressing Emotion (Surprise, Disbelief, Admiration, Criticism) 😲

Meaning

〜なんて adds emotion.
It can express:

• surprise
• disbelief
• admiration
• criticism
• something unexpected

Depending on the tone, it can be positive or negative.

Common English feelings behind 〜なんて

• “I can’t believe…!”
• “To think that…!”
• “Wow, …!”
• “(How) …!”

Examples

1. 日本語で小説を書くなんて、すごい！
   Writing a novel in Japanese? That’s amazing!
2. あの静かな彼が人前で歌うなんて、びっくりした。
   I was shocked that the quiet guy sang in front of people.
3. 今日が最後のレッスンだなんて、さみしいです。
   I can’t believe today is the last lesson—I’m sad.
4. 彼が遅刻するなんて珍しいね。
   It’s unusual that he’s late.
5. こんなに雪が降るなんて思わなかった。
   I never thought it would snow this much.

Nuance Tip:
〜なんて is often used in spoken Japanese, expressing personal feelings.

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2. 〜とは：Used for Strong Surprise or Unexpected Discovery 🔍

Meaning

〜とは is used when you discover something surprising or unexpected.
It sounds a bit more formal or literary than 〜なんて.

You often see it in:

• written Japanese
• narration
• explanations
• when the speaker is “reflecting” on a fact

Common English feelings behind 〜とは

• “I never knew that…”
• “Who would’ve thought that…”
• “The fact that…”
• “To think that…”

Examples

1. 彼がプロのサッカー選手だったとは知らなかった。
   I didn’t know he used to be a professional soccer player.
2. この村にこんな美しい神社があるとは！
   To think there is such a beautiful shrine in this village!
3. あの二人が兄弟だったとは驚きです。
   I’m surprised that those two were siblings.
4. この料理が10分で作れるとは思えない。
   I can’t believe this dish can be made in 10 minutes.
5. あなたがここまで上達するとは、本当に感動しました。
   I’m truly impressed that you improved this much.

Nuance Tip:
〜とは is less emotional than 〜なんて but expresses deeper surprise based on new information or discovery.

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3. 〜なんて vs 〜とは：What’s the Difference? ⚖️

Pattern	Feeling	Tone	Usage
〜なんて	Strong emotion (shock, criticism, admiration)	Casual / spoken	Reacting to situations or actions
〜とは	Deep surprise from discovery	Slightly formal	Reflecting on facts, narration, written style

Quick comparison

• 話せるなんてすごい！
  You can speak (Japanese)? Amazing!
  (more conversational/emotional)
• 話せるとは知らなかった。
  I didn’t know you could speak (Japanese).
  (more factual surprise)

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4. Practice Sentences (Fill in 〜なんて or 〜とは) ✍️

Try choosing which fits better:

1. 彼がテストで100点を取る＿＿思わなかった。
2. こんなに早く終わる＿＿、本当に助かった！
3. 彼女が海外で働いていた＿＿知らなかった。
4. 朝から雪が降る＿＿大変だね。
5. この映画がこんなに感動的だ＿＿！

Answers:

なんて / とは (both possible depending on tone)
とは
なんて
とは
なんて

Type your answers in the comment!

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